See & Do.
About Prestbury.
Prestbury is a beautiful village on the outskirts of Cheltenham, bursting with charm and character. It is a vibrant community with a high class butchers, barbers, hairdressers, pharmacy and village stores. It also offers three traditional pubs within close proximity.
For a greater insight into the history of Prestbury visit Prestbury History Society or join their monthly meeting held at Prestbury Women’s Institute Hall, at 7:30pm on the fourth Monday of every month.
Why Prestbury?
Pubs.
You’ll be spoilt for choice as Prestbury has three traditional pubs, each with something different to offer. Conveniently placed, next door to Cleeve Cottage is The Plough. It is extremely popular with the locals and tourists alike who appreciate this quaint little pub’s historical past.
Unspoilt by time, you could quite believe you had taken a trip back to the 17th century as you walk through the door. The Plough boasts a large open fireplace and real ales are served straight from the cask behind the bar.
Don’t miss the two other charming pubs, The Royal Oak and The King’s Arms. They both have their own unique twists and are within a five minute walk.
Food.
The King’s Arms.
The King’s Arms, a White Brasserie establishment, opened their restaurant in Prestbury in December 2019. They are situated on the High Street in a 14th Century building, full of character and warmth. When restoring the premises, a huge emphasis has gone into restoring the original beams and wooden floor, in an effort to bring the tradition pub back to life. It’s really worth a visit.
The Royal Oak.
The Royal Oak, for a long time has been a popular restaurant for locals and visitors. Full of traditional charm and original features and the closest pub to Cheltenham Racecourse. Expect log fires, a cosy dining room, dog-friendly snug bar and spacious beer garden, with delicious, seasonal pub food on the menu and award-winning craft beer and real ale behind the bar. They also have a private function room ‘The Pavilion’ for hire for all kinds of special occasions and events.
The Hewlett Arms.
We believe The Hewlett Arms is one of Cheltenham's hidden gems. Under new ownership since March 2014, the landlords have really turned this place into a must-visit. They are passionate about serving cooked to order food using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. They also serve real ale and within their selection, you can expect to find ales from local breweries, Battledown Brewery and Prescott Brewery.
They have a lovely south facing garden which has been recently fitted with six outdoor shacks which are cosy and are heated. Follow their Facebook page to find out about their ongoing events throughout the year.
Ghosts.
Prestbury is reputed to be one of the most haunted villages in England. The lanes are said to be haunted by the Cavalier Ghost shot during the Civil War, whose galloping horse can be heard thundering around. There are reportedly more than a dozen ghosts who haunt the area.
The most famous ghost in Prestbury is the Black Abbot. The Black Abbot is regularly seen in the church and in the churchyard. He is most often seen during Christmas and Easter and treads the same path every time. He materialises just before crossing the churchyard and then disappears through the wall on High Street. He used to walk the aisle in St Mary’s Church but after he was exorcised, he now only appears in the Churchyard.
A Must Visit.
In Prestbury you’ll find everything you need to make your stay relaxing and enjoyable without having to drive miles away to find the nearest convenience store. Without belittling other local business, the village is particularly known for it’s award winning butcher shop…
Waghornes Butchers is a high quality butchers, supplying free range, farm reared meat and game. They also stock a wide variety of delicatessen products, locally baked pies and fresh Hobbs House Bread delivered daily. They pride themselves on supplying the best quality produce from farm to table.
It has recently decided to expand, and has just opened a second business at the new food market in Stroud’s Five Valleys Shopping Centre which it will run alongside the popular Prestbury shop.
Nigel provides extensive knowledge and excellent service, making this traditional butchers a must-see while visiting Prestbury.